Leeds students gain real-world sustainability experience as part of live construction project
Product design students have been set a real-world sustainability challenge following a visit to a major live construction project in Leeds.
Students from Elliott Hudson College were welcomed on site while work is underway to significantly expand the existing Primark store at White Rose Shopping Centre.
Lindum Group is delivering the project on behalf of client Landsec, which owns the South Leeds shopping centre. The site visit was facilitated by White Rose’s Management team, with students welcomed and hosted on site by Lindum’s York Division.
During the visit, the students were given a guided tour of the live construction environment and gained first-hand insight into how large-scale developments are delivered safely and efficiently within a busy retail setting.
As part of the session, the group had the opportunity to quiz Lindum York Construction Manager Ben Marris, who spoke about the practical challenges of working within a live shopping centre, including logistics management, safety considerations and environmental responsibility on complex commercial projects.
Following the visit, the students have now been tasked with developing an innovative product designed to help offset the environmental impact of construction projects.
Using their understanding of material properties, the challenge is to propose a product that could be created alongside a development and contribute positively to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The initiative is designed to give students meaningful exposure to the construction industry, while encouraging creative thinking around sustainability, innovation and real-world problem solving.
Ben Marris, Construction Manager at Lindum York, said: “Opening our sites to students is a great way to show how the construction industry operates in the real world and to challenge perceptions of what we do.
“Sustainability is a key consideration on every project we deliver, so setting the students a task focused on offsetting environmental impact felt like a natural fit.
“We’re delivering this project in a busy, live shopping centre, which brings its own challenges, but it also provides a fantastic learning environment. We’ve been really impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and the questions they asked, and we’re looking forward to seeing the ideas they come up with.”
College Product Design teacher Miriam Olutayo said the partnership with Lindum and Landsec has provided its Product Design students with an invaluable real-world learning experience.
“Seeing sustainability in action on a live construction site has brought their studies to life in a way that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom,” she said.
“The coursework component set by AQA requires students to solve a ‘real problem’ for a ‘real client’, and this site visit has provided the perfect springboard to get their projects off to a strong and meaningful start. The challenge aligns closely with the Product Design Department’s commitment to developing creative, socially responsible designers who can think critically about environmental impact.
“We are incredibly proud of the students’ engagement and are excited to see how they translate their learning into innovative and sustainable design solutions.”
Among the students who attended the site visit, Abdul-Raheem Akram highlighted how it offered valuable insight into sustainable construction and its role in shaping the future of the built environment. Umayma Ali reflected on the emphasis placed on continuous learning in construction, noting how experience and industry standards constantly evolve and influence new projects, which she said she found motivating and inspiring. Gift Ekeh found the visit particularly useful for the practical knowledge gained, especially learning how design features such as glazed bricks at the White Rose Centre extension serve both aesthetic and weather-protective functions.
Steven Foster, Centre Director at White Rose, added: “The expansion of our Primark store is an exciting project for the centre and our guests, and we’re keen to keep our community informed as the development comes to life. Sustainability has been a cornerstone of this project, which aligns with our goals at White Rose, and we’re pleased that this project impresses the importance of energy-efficiency on the next generation through Elliott Hudson College students as well.”
Lindum is working closely with White Rose Shopping Centre team to maintain public access and minimise disruption, while coordinating construction activities around trading hours. The expansion will increase the store’s size from 26,200 sq ft to 55,700 sq ft, with the centre remaining open throughout the works ahead of completion in 2027.